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Friday, December 21, 2012

Lit Cigar Lounge Top 10 for 2012

As the manager of Lit, I've been fortunate to try almost
every single one of the new cigars that have been released throughout the
year. This top 10 list are cigars that
are either new to the market or new to me in 2012. Also, I've only included cigars that are
available at Lit, but have created an “honorable mention” section for some
fantastic cigars that we don’t carry (yet).

What is my system for this?
It’s not entirely scientific – most importantly is my personal opinion,
but I’ve also taken into account the opinions of our customers and fellow
tobacconists. A cigar that I thought was
good, but not great may have made this list because a few of our regulars
absolutely love it. So, without further
ado, here’s the list:

10. Romeo by Romeo y Julieta Churchill – This cigar shocked
all of us who are familiar with the RyJ brand, which is known for mild to
medium bodied cigars that are easy to smoke but lack strength and
complexity. The Romeo lacks neither. It’s strong, spicy and full of
character. What does translate over from
the rest of the Romeo y Julieta line is the fantastic price point and great
consistency. This is the first of two of
the new Altadis cigars on my list. I've been a critic of their inability to think outside the box, but this cigar was a
bold step, and one of my favorites.

9. Padron Anniversary 1964 #4 – Big ring gauges aren't really my cup of tea, but Padron really filled a niche here, with this 6 1/2x60
box pressed vitola in the 1964 Anniversary line. Many of us save the Padron Anniversary cigar
for special occasions, and it’s great to have one that we can smoke for several
hours. It’s a bit milder than the rest
of the line, due to the cooler burn and extra filler tobacco, but the flavors
are all still there – spice, caramel, floral notes, etc. This is the trend in cigars, bigger ring
gauges, so I’m glad to see one of the most reputable families taking on the
challenge.

8. Partagas 1845 Robusto – The 1845 line has been so
successful, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that it has rescued the non-Cuban
Partagas brand, at least at Lit. The bigger sizes, the 7x54 Double Corona and
the 6x60 Gigante are better sellers, but my favorite is the Robusto. I love the complexity of flavors that this cigar
offers, while never rising above the medium bodied category. The cigar is
flawlessly constructed and full of tobacco, so it burns for a long time. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is silky and
full of the subtle spice notes that I love.
There’s no overpowering kick of pepper here, just a delicious and
balanced cigar that can be smoked at any hour of the day.

7. La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Beso – When Ashton announced
that they were creating a Reserva line for their popular Mi Amor blend, I was a
little confused. I thought that the Mi
Amor was perfect, with a rich dark San Andres Maduro wrapper and tons of
flavor. Only being a year old, did it really need to be renewed already? I’m glad they did it though! The Reserva has been released very sparingly
and has been gobbled up quickly. My
favorite size is the Beso, a corona gorda that really accentuates the
wrapper. If the original Mi Amor had
dark chocolate notes in spades, then the Reserva has ramped up the cocoa even
more. It’s incredibly rich and all you
need is in this smaller size. Definitely
a treat if you can get your hands on some.

6. 262 Revere Robusto – 262 is the smallest company
represented on our list, and they did an incredible job with their new Revere
line. Releasing a Nicaraguan Puro is a
bit of a gamble since it’s a crowded market, dominated by My Father and
Padron. The Revere stands out not only
because of a great price point, but impeccable construction and flavor that isn't compromised or overpowered. Too
often, full bodied cigars are blended for strength and end up lacking in
flavor. The Revere has both strength and flavor – a peppery kick that still
allows for lighter secondary flavors to stand out underneath them. Our staff and guests prefer the corona, but I
love the amount of smoke and the complexity of the robusto best.

5. Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial – I think this cigar
was actually released in 2011, but has really taken off this year. The Capa Especial signifies the cigar sports
a reddish Sumatra wrapper and is a bit mellower. You’ll notice a common theme
in this list is that when a cigar can dial back the strength enough so that a
full range of flavors comes through, it’s a winner for me. There are three blends of the 7th,
a corona gorda size: The original, with a Habano wrapper, the Reserva with a
Broadleaf and the Capa Especial. I like
this one the best, because you can get subtle flavors more easily.

4. Rocky Patel Edge Habano Toro – Another Nicaraguan Puro at
a reasonable price that just knocks it out of the park! Rocky Patel’s cigars are something that either
our customers are into or they’re not.
There’s not much middle ground.
When we brought this one in and started suggesting it, lots of people
would say they didn't like Rocky’s stuff.
When they gave the Edge Habano a try, every single one of them were impressed. It’s a
great example of how a cigar can have lots of flavor without being too
strong. Oh, and the price point. Along with the Partagas 1845, it’s the only
cigar that comes in under $8.

3. Flor de Las Antillas Toro – This cigar represents the
future of the Garcia family and My Father cigars. Even though their company is only 10 years
old, they’ve already reached the point where they can release a fantastic cigar
using only tobacco that they've grown and cured at their own farms. The FDLA is a box pressed Nicaraguan Puro
with a delicious sun grown wrapper that
teeters between medium and full bodied.
There’s extra spice and voluminous amounts of smoke that really add to
the smoking experience. I enjoy the easy
draw and extra smoke from box pressed cigars even though they burn so
quickly. I get through this toro in
around 40 minutes. In that case, I’ll
have two!

2. J. Fuego Edicion de Familia Toro – I've been a fan of
Jesus Fuego’s cigars for years now, but in 2012 he has finally released his
masterpiece. The Edicion de Familia come
in three sizes – Belicoso, Robusto, and Toro, and are limited to only 7500
cigars of each size. Each 10 ct. box is
signed and numbered. He also went
through the trouble to age all of the tobacco in these cigars for no less than
10 years. It shows. The EDF Toro is full of flavors you don’t get
in most cigars. It’s musky and rich,
with layers of flavor that start with the basic stronger notes of pepper and
earth, but eventually give way to delicate floral notes and sweeter vanilla and
honey notes. I don’t know if you’ll
taste all of this, but it only took about the first inch of this cigar before I
knew it would make the list.

1. Montecristo Epic #2 – My cigar of the year comes from the
unlikeliest of manufacturers. Altadis
USA is one of the biggest makers of premium cigars and rarely receives critical
acclaim, nor do they usually deserve it.
However, they blew the roof off with the Epic blend. Originally released in 3 sizes, Robusto,
Toro, and Churchill in beautiful 10 count boxes, the Epic is a fuller bodied
Montecristo that uses all vintage tobacco from 2007 and is only made by the
companies top cigar makers, their “Grupo de Maestros.” Right away, the cigar
reminded me of the Fuente Opux X in how much flavor I was getting out of it
right away. Opus X, however, can overpower the smoker with too much ligero and
an iffy burn. The Epic is a touch mellower and have the razor sharp burn lines
that only a perfectly executed cigar can have.
There is not a more beautifully constructed cigar than the Limited
Edition Epic #2 with is not a regular production size. It’s a flawless pyramid with a perfect burn
and all of the complex flavors of the Epic line, but it’s better because of the
way the pyramid shape concentrates and evolves as you get to the final third.

Honorable Mentions

There are a few cigars that are not available at Lit that
would definitely be on this list:

Crowned Heads Headley Grange – This will be all over
everyone’s best cigar list and with good reason. It’s a balanced, nuanced smoke that is well
thought out and perfectly executed. I only wish I had a few more of these.

Guayacan Robusto – I don’t know too much about this cigar
other than I've smoked a few and absolutely love them. Box pressed with an oily Ecuadorian Habano
wrapper. I haven’t seen them at any
shops in the Northwest, but if you can find one, I suggest giving it a try.

Elogio ESV – A boutique blend that I tried at the trade show
this summer. I have no idea where you
can get this one either, but this cigar gives a ton of strength without
sacrificing depth of flavor. If only we
had a humidor twice as big! We could add
all of this stuff.

Undercrown Corona Viva – Drew Estate has really come into
their own over the past few years. This new
size in the Undercrown line is my favorite.

Quesada Oktoberfest – These come out in limited quantities
every fall and are one of my favorite smokes.
I found them at Tobacco Patch in Kirkland. Pick one up if you see it.